In my previous post I said I’d be changing up how the blog worked and this is my first ever scheduled blog post! That’s right folks! This is being written on Tuesday for Thursday! I’ve decided to toss my posts out on the days that start with “T” with me being TJ and all… Hopefully you’re actually reading this on Thursday and I haven’t stuffed it up!

With that out of the way, I’d like to talk about the point of these community posts I’ll be writing. I decided after the Leibster award that I’d try and help out my fellow bloggers gather some views and also let them know that they’re not alone although many days it may seem like it. This blog is ten posts away from three hundred unique posts and sometimes posts didn’t garner a single view. That over the course of time can break you down, make you question why you do it. Don’t. Just ignore that feeling.

In case you haven’t heard of it, imposter syndrome is the concept of people who cannot accept their accomplishments and constantly feel as though what they’re doing is garbage or not worth it. In fact, many friends and family can enable this by even questioning your efforts and not supporting your work. I suffer from it as well, but I trudge on through. Any support in your writing is a boost to the ole beaten down self-esteem, and it feels great to get that lift!

AHEM!

I won’t have to mention any of that again, so thanks for sticking around through that. Today’s blogs are two I came across during my daily read-a-blog-a-thon (unofficial name, mostly done during bathroom breaks) but the first one was a post by Katie Kelton entitled “Why I Write” and it got me thinking. Why do I write?

Be sure to go over, give her post a read (maybe follow her if you like it) and come back but in short she’s got three reasons: To have control, live out fantasies and have a voice. This resonated with me for a few reasons.

Number one, we’ve all been reading something and gone, “It would have been better if this happened!” Eureka! We could have done better! Sometimes, we’re not wrong but that is not the story that author wanted to tell. For her, it’t more actually controlling situations and people on paper. You can make it go the way you’d like, as opposed to the chaos of the real world.

Number two, living out fantasies is what we all need these days. I think it’s the main reason books still exist. Many of us have wanted to be the hero. Sometimes we have been. But no matter how our lives are, we always look to the grass on the other side. It’s always greener. Books grant us that small escape from our own routine for a taste of the exquisite and the divine!

Three, to have a voice, interesting thing that! Blogs are where one can truly hone their voice, so she’s certainly on the right track there. But to have a say, a feeling of actually mattering in this world filled with billions of other voices, that’s definitely important for all of us writers.

Maybe you’re wondering what reasons I could have for “Why I Write” or maybe not. Funnily enough, I don’t care, I’m writing it out for me and anyone else who does! I write for me. I write because despite the fact I have a TV, game consoles, money to travel, a beautiful home and friends all around the world; there is nothing that calls me back like writing.

Nothing.

Words and imagination are an incredible thing. We build worlds, from our minds. We string together sentences and phrases that paint pictures. We are not merely writers, we are not just authors, we are gods among common folk where in an instant we can create a world, only to destroy it mere pages later. We can make you care about masses of words that define our imaginary friends, only to rip them from you in horrific fashion. We can pull at your heartstrings, we can make you laugh, cry, cringe and most of all feel.

That. That is why I write.

Now, as to why I write fantasy? Write what you know, they always say! I’ve been obsessed with Tolkien since I was young and Rowling as I grew older. Tales of orcs and elves, magicians and adventure have danced in my head since I could write and the feeling never left. Seeing Gandalf smote the Balrog in The Two Towers gives me chills, every single time. I hope to evoke those same emotions through my own writing!

Wow! Thanks for that bout of inspiration Katie, and be sure to keep on writing!

Secondly, I found a post called “What Fantasy Authors Can Learn from Marvel Studios” and it was a very interesting read. The majority of the post is about the mixing of genres which has proven quite important for some of today’s most prominent fantasy authors! I won’t go too far into it, but it was quite a good read and not only that, but it mixes my loves of fantasy and Marvel. Couldn’t ignore that!

But one final question folks, you probably know what it is:

Why do you write?

Either comment below, or write it on your own blog and let me know or use my Contact Me page and I’ll update this post with a link to your blog! Write well, write true! You can do it!